Spring wheel



H. H. SM1-[H SPRING WHEEL Jam@ 1 7, i924e y 1,498,404

Filed Feb. l0. 1923 n k SheeL5-Sheet 1 z @@@rt m iwf @1. :Lf

y Y 'Y Hubei: H Elmh Houla/4J Patented .lune 17, 1924 Humain H. :si/ L1TH, or KNOXVILLE, witwassen.

Application filed'february 10, y192.3. SeralfNo: 618,262.

T 0 all whom t may concern:

Be it 1 known ethat HUBERT,1II.-SMITH, ay citizen of 'the UnitedStates, residing 'at Knoxville, in the county ofi Knox and State of Tennessee, has invented certainnew-and useful Improvements in Spring' YVheelsLof which the following-is av specification.

This invention'relates to a; spring wheel and has ffor. its principal object to'provide a ydevice which Ymay be readily attached to any ordinary construction of' a vehicle wheel, and which willhprovide a cushioning-means for the saiclmvheel@ .Another 'object of the invention is to provide a spring-wheel ofthe above-mentioned character, -whi'ch is especially adapted-for use with trucks'and heavy-.niotorvehicles but may also be-,a'dapted for use uponany other character ofi motor vehicle, wherein aflexible outer rim is1 provided arranged concentric yto the wheel, and connectedto the inner rim ofthe wheel-by yieldablemeans whereby the shockaor jar on the outerA rim willv not be transmitted to the axlebut will be absorbedbetween the rim. and the wheel.

A: still further object .ofthe invention is to provide. a spring liv-heelofthe` above inentioned character,l which is-simple iny construction, inexpensive, strong, durableand well adapted for the purpose of which it is designated.

Other objects` and advantages of this linvention will'become .apparent during the course of the following description. l

In the accompanyingl drawings -forniing a part ofthe specification and .in which like f numerals vdesignate like parts: throughout the. same,

Figure 1 is a. side elevation of the invention 'showing the. annular plate partly broken away, and showing the arrangement of the spring means therein.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section in the plane of the wheel showing the manner in which the springs are supported between the annular plates.

Figure l is a front elevation of one of the lining elements.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure Il.

Figure 6 'is a modification showing another forin of spring means.

Figure 7 is a view similar to that shown in Figure Gand showing coilspringsi associatedv withvtheflat-springs. i

In thedrawings whereinyforthepurpose of illustration is shown the preferredenibodiment of my invention, tlie numeral* 1 designa-tes a wheel whichv` is provided with a? felly 2 having av felly bandprovided-wi-th flanged portion 3 on one side thereof and'on the opposite side provided lwith?fdetacliable -lugsvll to `permit lthe rim and the tirecar'ried on they wheel l tobe easilyan'd quicklyremoved therefrom.

Adapted to be supportedqupon the' felly 2 of the wheel 1? are a pairI of annularplates 5 and 6 respectively which are provided-at their inner periphery with lateral -inteilitting flanges 7 and 8 respectively: ,Thisconstruction is more clearly shown in F-ig.'f2 of the drawings. Whentherannularkpl'ates are fitted together in the manner asv shown in Fig. 2 the flanged portionsfA andV 8J- wi`ll form a rim and for the purpose of convenience will-hereinafter be `calledtli'e` inner rim'. The 'flangedwportion I8- of the yinner rim is adapted to be securedkto the felly 2 ofthe wheel 1 and"'the'flangedportion'Tf` o-f the coilsprings 11.' I#These coiL-sprin'gs `1j1 also are adapted to enclose a smaller coil spring 12 and the upper end of the coil springs 11 and 12 respectively are free and not supported by any fastening means. The purpose of such a construction will be more fully described in the following paragraphs.

A flexible outer preparatory rim 13 which supports the tire 14 thereon is arranged concentric with the wheel 1 and in spaced relation therewith and with Y the inner rim heretofore mentioned and is further adapted to be disposed between the annular plates 5 and 6 as more clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the cally therebetween.

zWhen in position between the annular plates 5 and 6 the bottom face of the outer rim 13 will rest against the upper' free ends of the coil springs 11 and 12 and the coil springs 11 and 12 will normally hold the tire 14C in its extended or normal position. To further prevent the sides of the tire 1st from wearing due to the frictional engagement with the inner faces of the flange of the annular plates 5 and 6, I provide a suitable lining to be carried between the tire 14 and the rim 13 and so disposed as to fit between the annular plates 5 and 6 and this lining is designated by the numeral 15 and is provided with a plurality of spaced inwardly extending lugs 16 for the purpose of permitting the same to be held in. position upon the outer rim 13 and adapted to lit against the side faces of the tire 14.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings the spring means comprises a flexible flat pieceof metal designated by the numeral 17 and is fastened intermediate its ends by suitable fastening means 18 to the flange 7 and the free ends of this spring element 17 are curved upwardly and provided with curved heads 19 adjacent the free ends thereof. These curved heads 19 are ada )ted to engage the bottom face of the outer flexible rim 13 and performs the same functions as the coil springs 11 and 12 heretofore described.

vAny number of these springs may be used as may be desired and the device is not limited to the number of spring elements used in connection with the wheel.

It will be evident that when shocks or jars are imparted to the flexible outer rim 13 at the lowest portion for instance7 the spring element which happens to be at the point which is in engagement with the ground andfin being compressed will force the tire 14 inwardly between the annular plates 5 and 6 and thereby the shock will be absorbed between the inner and outer ends and will not have any effect upon the axle of the wheel.

In Figure 7 a still further modification of the spring means is shown wherein the spring element 17 is adapted to support on the fastening means 1S and between the curved free ends 19 a coil spring 20. The lower end of this coil spring 2() is housed in a cap 21 and the upper end is free to fit against the under face of the flexible rim 13.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description that a spring wheel has been provided wherein the same may be more easily and quickly placed upon a wheel'and furthermore, is of such a construction as to permit all of the elements to properly function and does not alter the construction of the wheel in any way. rlhe simplicity of my spring wheel further renders the same more efficient in its operation and very cheap to manufacture.

From the foregoing description. of the construction of my improved apparatus it will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and efficient means for carrying out the objects of the invention, and while I have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in fo "m, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is The combination with a wheel; of a pair of complementary annular plates provided at their inner peripheries with inwardly opposed and interfitting flanges forming a rim, means for detachably mounting said rim on the felly of said wheel, a flexible outer tire-carrying rim disposed between said plates, spring means between said rims normally retaining same concentric, a tire on said outer rim and a pair of annular ringlilre lining members applied to the outer side facesr of said tire to compensate fory wear against said plates, said lining members having inwardly opposed lugs struck from the inner peripheries thereof at regular intervals to project between the tire and outer rim, as and for the purposes described;

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HUBERT H. SMITH. 

